REDUCING ROAD ACCIDENTS DURING THE EMBER MONTHS By Titi Bamigboye

As the year gradually comes to an end, deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes are a major concern. In Nigeria, higher incidences of road traffic accidents are experienced during the final months of the calendar year, popularly called the ember months. The ember months refer to the months from September to December.

During this period, the roads tend to be busier as there are high influxes of both vehicular and passenger movements from one part of the country to another, especially as some religious festivals fall within the period. Due to the high prevalence of auto crashes and its attendant carnages during this period, the months have become dreaded.

The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, an agency charged with the responsibility of ensuring safety on Nigerian roads, attribute road accidents during this period to motorists’ overloading, impatience, lack of courtesy for other road users, faulty vehicles as well as dilapidated road infrastructures. Another major cause of auto crashes in the country is the use of mobile phones while driving.

It has been estimated that during this volatile ember months, over two thousand people die from one form of road accidents or the other in Nigeria. Undoubtedly, this figure is staggering and urgent steps need to be taken to stop the trend. Aside from the huge human loss and psychological impact, the economic burden is also noteworthy because, the nation's productive work force tends to shrink significantly with every life lost to road traffic accidents.

While the Federal Road Safety Commission and the government are encouraged to play their parts to ensure safety on Nigerian roads, it must be pointed out that the task of ensuring road safety and reducing road accidents during the ember months should not be left to government or its agencies alone, but should be seen as a collective responsibility. Nigerians must rise to the occasion by cooperating with government to bring the carnage on Nigerian roads to the barest minimum.

This can be achieved only when motorists and other road users give due recognition and respect to road signs and traffic regulations.

On its part, government must enforce existing traffic laws and regulations. A lot still needs to be done in the area of road users’ education. Campaigns should be mounted all year round and intensified at specific periods of the year such as in the run up to the yuletide and other festivities.